Europe´s top five lead Neymar chase

Five European clubs are being permitted to speak with Santos starlet Neymar, but only after promising to meet his massive release clause.

Spanish magazine Veja reports the five clubs in question are Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester City and, somewhat incongruously, Russian Premier League outfit Anzhi Makhachkala.

In revealing the development, club president Luis Alvaro Riberio praised the five clubs for ‘ethically’ agreeing to pay a 45-million-euro release clause in the 19-year-old’s contract.

“We don’t want to sell Neymar, but obviously there is a contractual clause they can pay,” he told ESPN.

“Five European clubs have offered to meet this clause. I can’t say which ones because that’s an agreement between Santos and the clubs, but they’re the most important European ones.”

“They asked to speak to the player and we’ve obviously given them permission.”

“The clubs have been ethical, come to Santos first and shown willingness to pay the clause.”

“(Because) of this ethical approach, they can speak to who they’d like: Neymar senior, Wagner Ribeiro (his agent) and Neymar’s representatives.”

Riberio also said Chelsea had learned from their mistakes last year, when they had a 20-million-pound bid for Neymar rejected.

“Last year Chelsea’s attitude was different. They went to the player’s representatives first,” he said.